Social media links

South Sudan National Dialogue Releases Nairobi Consultation Findings

3rd December 2017

Amb. Michael Majok Ayom Dor hoists the flag at South Sudan embassy in Nairobi on July 26, 2011.

The Refugee and International Outreach Subcommittee has released an official summary of its findings from its lengthy consultations in Nairobi. In response to heavy demand for participation, the consultation was extended from three to four days. Subcommittee chairperson, Hon. Deng Dau remarked that the Nairobi consultation “consultative discussions were conducted in an open, frank, free and decisive talks”.

Indeed, Nairobi consultation produced more ideas than any prior consultation. Some of the ideas echoed sentiments expressed in Uganda, such as transforming the military according to international norms. Specifically, participants called on the SPLA, SPLA-IO, and all other variants of SPLA to be dissolved. They said that instead of SPLA there should be a national army recruited from all parts of the country. At the same time, they also called on all variants of the SPLM — and all other political parties — to formally and permanently disassociate themselves from the SPLA and from military and security forces in general.

There were some ideas that the National Dialogue had not heard before. For example, Nairobi consultation participants suggested that the National Dialogue promote sports as a way to create national unity.

54 Observations and Solutions from the Nairobi Consultation

That the Executive arm of the government is undermining the independence of the Legislature, Judiciary, military and security institutions

Power struggle among politicians, hence creation of the current crisis in the country

That the president should take time and visit all parts of the country to give the message of hope to the citizens

There should be creation of a unified army in South Sudan

Tribalism is at its highest peak in the country and that we must fight it collectively

Accountability, transparency should be taken seriously in the country

Government should build schools, healthcare centres and roads

Government to fix the country’s economy

That sports should be developed so as it becomes a tool for peace and unity among communities, and the National Dialogue should make use of sports

That South Sudanese are the big enemies to themselves and their country- and must rescind their warmongering behaviours

Disarmament be carried out throughout the country

Army/SPLA should be urgently separated from politics-SPLM

That the failures in leadership are the making of the people surrounding the president, that they don’t have the country at heart

High illiteracy among the citizens, making them susceptible to manipulations by elites and military generals and rebel groups

High dependency ratio- causing the runaway corruption, where people holding public offices loot public funds to feed the many mouths in their homes in Juba and abroad

That the ethnic animosity and pride among the Nuer and the Dinka is a big threat to the existence of South Sudan

Permanent Constitution be made that clearly spell out separation of powers

That the Presidential Decrees should be stopped to avoid creation of rebellions, by people who are removed from office and that unqualified people are being brought to lead institutions

A question was raised asking that why are the Nuers not included in the National Dialogue? And that if the Nuers are not included then there is no need for Dialogue

That Riek Machar should be included in the National Dialogue

That National Dialogue is a delay tactic by the government to frustrated the August 2015 Peace Agreement

Negative ethnicity- we must deal with this urgently

Equal representation of all communities in public institutions

Marginalization of some communities- that some communities have been excluded in the affairs of South Sudan

The Land Question/Land grabbing- that people in power and with wealth are grabbing lands in some parts of the country.Laws be put in place to oversee the distribution of land in the country

Hate speech, ethnic profiling are major influencers of the current war in the country

Jieng Council of Elders is a major factor in the disintegration of the country, and that the resident should be disbanded it with immediate effect

Ngundeng proponents/followers are misusing the prophecies for inciting war

That Equatorians are should stop killing people on the roads

That Presidential Advisors be removed and people with South Sudan at heart by appointed to advise the President

That concerted efforts towards the war against corruption be instituted

People say there should be Attorney General to advice the president on all matters

SPLM as a party, they say is the mother of all the crisis in the country and that its military wing the SPLA should be dissolved and a new army comprising of all communities be instituted to carry out a professional mission of safeguarding the sovereignty and protecting its people at all times

Freedom of the Media should be guaranteed to spread the message of peace and unity

Economy- government should regulate the circulation of currencies in and that goes outside the country

That Pension Scheme be put in place to cater for the retirees

Creation of more states, they say is adding more problems in the country, by dividing people into tribes and clans

NILE PET- that why is Nile Petroleum Corporation kept for only one tribe?

That Foreign Missions/Embassies are dominated by one tribe- leaving others on the periphery

Formation of tribal militias and rebellions be discouraged at all

That the security sector institutions are controlled by one tribe, making others outsiders in the affairs of the nation

That the government has abandoned Heglig or Panthou in Ruweng and Mile 14 in Northern Bahr el Ghazal to Khartoum

There must be public sector reforms

The deployment of the soldiers should not be based on their tribes or regions, they should be deployed anywhere

The Unknown Gunmen must stop killing those they perceived as government critics and even innocent citizens

That disarmament be done in Greater Lakes State-Rumbek, to help stop the rampant killings in that region

That the government should stop reinstating former governors and generals into the army

That a law be enacted to make it compulsory that those who intend to become governors must have a degree from University

The Uncle-system in public institutions must end- this encourages nepotism and sectarianism in government departments

That superiority battles among politicians should stop- to avoid creating conflicts

That president should not be advised by one community only – the Dinka

That President Kiir should stop recycling his friends in public offices through decrees

That the government should rebuild relationship with United States of America, United Kingdom

That IGAD has used South Sudan as it business centre, and that it must leave the country to settle its own problems

Next week, the Refugee and International Outreach Subcommittee will continue its Kenya consultations in refugee settlements in the Kakuma area.